This blog post will provide tips for healthy meal planning & preparation using the USDA's Food Pyramid System or similar dietary plans. The goal is to help you make well-balanced food choices that can be made easily in your own kitchen.


Healthy meal planning and preparation



The key to making a delicious, healthy meal on any budget is to think of it as cooking yourself. You want a rich mixture of flavor, texture, and nutrients, so it needs to be easy to cook, as well as tasty! Your dinner should serve all components of your healthful diet properly, and be high in antioxidants and other beneficial nutrients! For example, if one of your main meals includes meat and fish, consider adding some vegetables into it during summer to lower your risk of getting too much of an omega-3 fatty acid deficiency (that’s found in heart disease), because it is higher in this type of fat than other sources of omega-3s, and also helps balance out cholesterol in your blood. Or, try adding fresh fruits and/or frozen fruit into the dish instead.


For those who do not like to cook, especially young children, these ideas are great ways to encourage them to eat on their own and get more involved in your cooking process. Remember, what you don’t feel like eating, you will definitely need to include in your meals. As an alternative, use one of our “Frozen Fruit Baskets”. In addition to providing a nutritious snack, they freeze well so you can add fresh produce straight from the garden, which saves you time when grocery shopping later on! All of us can benefit from healthier foods and healthier lifestyles that we often take for granted, but sometimes these benefits aren't noticed immediately, so now is a good time to get started by learning how to shop with less guilt and waste, thus reducing stress levels that may lead us overspending in some areas of our lives.


This is also a great way to teach kids about nutrition and help them understand food selection as part of their daily lives. If someone is new to buying groceries, it is important to provide them with information about why it is important. Making suggestions for better choices of products and knowing why they need them and where they can find them, helps reduce the amount of unnecessary spending that would otherwise occur. And if you wish to avoid going overboard when it comes to certain foods or ingredients, keep in mind that many people have different nutritional requirements and this list may vary for each person.


Finally, don’t forget to make sure your dishes are always portioned correctly! Most importantly, keep portions small. Too much of something can leave you feeling deprived and lead to overeating in the long run. It would be best to start slowly and try to get comfortable with smaller servings before increasing them at a slower pace, but never stop developing an appetite for healthy foods. Also, avoid condiments, sweets, and snacks that can cause weight gain by eating whole foods alone. A balanced diet is crucial to improving overall well-being.


If you have some spare cash, then there are lots of ways you could incorporate healthier options into everyday menus without having to spend much extra. Consider putting spices and herbs into foods, even if they don’t seem traditional. An herbal herb called oregano comes from plants and flowers like lavender and chamomile, but you also use oregano powder, which has been used to flavor salads and soups for thousands of years. It is generally thought of as a natural preservative and can be bought at most stores, supermarkets, and other small food service establishments. Soak dried oregano seeds overnight in water until fully submerged. When ready, drain the soaking water pour it into a jar that has holes in the lid, and shake vigorously. Pour the soaked oregano seeds into mason jars filled with boiling water and store until you see the color change to brown. After about 3 days, you will usually notice them to have changed in color as well. If the taste does not smell unpleasant and is still mildly aromatic, strain out the liquid. Store in a glass jar near the surface of the water until you see the changes happening again. Add the olive oil if appropriate.

Oregano has anti-oxidants and antibacterial properties that help keep you healthier on longer terms. It is packed with antioxidants that help with brain health and the immune system. Eating more fresh herbs adds variety and a touch of mystery to your dishes and makes the preparation easier. Think carefully before you give anything away. Some herbs like rosemary can be highly toxic if eaten in large quantities. However, the safest way to cook them is a simple method of steaming or poaching them. While these are both safe methods, there is no guarantee that herbs such as garlic or bay leaves will have any adverse effects. Always remember to wash your hands with warm and running water before handling raw ingredients, and to avoid cross-contamination if cooking with raw meats and poultry. To stay safe, follow proper hygiene practices like washing your hands with soap and water after dealing with surfaces and objects. 

Try to avoid consuming raw chicken fingers, meat, seafood, shellfish, eggs, dairy products, and unpasteurized milk. There is plenty of research supporting this practice. For example, one study even showed that people who drank raw yogurt in coffee had significantly lower rates of cold symptoms, whereas drinking unfiltered yogurts was associated with increased cold symptoms. Another study found that drinking raw milk, rather than filtered alternatives, could increase the risk of allergies, particularly to peanuts. Raw milk and cheese could contain bacteria that can contaminate the production of infant formula or feed cows, and may also cause illness in infants and adults. Finally, it is always better to eat raw fruits and vegetables, rather than processed versions, if you prefer them raw. These items may not be available on every market, but almost all supermarkets and restaurants offer a wide range of fresh and dry produce you can safely purchase. Just be careful when shopping for produce, since some product is not available year-round. Be aware that certain kinds of fruits and vegetables that are grown in warmer climates are typically lower in vitamin A content. Although these are known as "fruits," they are actually part of the plant family and are known as leafy greens or members of the cruciferous family of plants. Leafy greens have several types of vitamins and minerals that provide other essential nutrients, such as iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, copper, and folic acid, in addition to the vitamins and minerals found in the edible parts. Common names include kale, collards, Swiss chard, arugula, mustard green, turnip greens, bok choy, spinach, mustard greens, butterhead lettuce, and broccoli. They are very popular and widely consumed in America. But if you prefer cooked greens, there are plenty of reasons to go for them raw. First off, they are cheaper and easier to store when compared to frozen or canned varieties. Second, people are more willing to buy prepared raw produce since they do not have to worry about its spoilage. Because they cannot be frozen or canned, the flavor tends to become dull if stored in the refrigerator or freezer. Third, once cooked, raw veggies tend to retain their juices more effectively. Fourth, it is much easier to remove the skin as well as the fiber. Sometimes you also can enjoy a few raw veggies without getting tired trying to peel them, but most people just end up peeling and chopping them. No matter how much trouble you go through, cooking vegetables preserves their nutrients and tastes better than frozen or canned options. One thing to note is that you’ll lose most of the nutrients in the raw veggies once cooked. Keep that in mind to ensure your diet is as nutritious as possible! Other factors that influence the quality and quantity of our dietary intake are: how much money we have and other resources we use; where we live; what we eat; how active we are; how much exercise we get; which medications we take; whether